What does it look like to install PoE and who can do it?

This question was answered by the Dwight Stewart, CTO and founder of Igor.

PoE lighting is easy to install and significantly safer than traditional line voltage lighting systems. PoE uses safety extra low-voltage (SELV), which makes it safe to use and install by traditional electrical contractors or certified IT consultants.

For new construction projects, PoE can be installed significantly faster than traditional lighting methods, decreasing installation costs. For retrofits, PoE is also easy to install as the system can be adapted at any time. As installation requires only a very short downtime, alterations to the original installation are seen immediately by the system and operational defaults can be set as you go. Read about a successful installation here in a multi-unit apartment complex using the Igor’s Intelligent Building Platform. No matter if it is a new build or a retrofit, the time it takes to install a PoE system is significantly shorter than traditional electrical work.

Changes are easier to make with PoE lighting as well. If you want to add a fixture, you can daisy-chain it to an existing node instead of running a new cable all the way back to the data closet. It does not matter how you want to control the new fixture or where the new fixture goes as it does not disrupt any of the devices before or after it on a daisy chain. And if you have a device in the middle of a daisy chain that you want to group with other devices or luminaires, you can simply change its grouping in the software using its unique IP address instead of disconnecting or moving the targeted device.

It is also possible to incorporate emergency lighting into a PoE installation, but this generally requires a separate electrical system to connect luminaire to battery and for the maintained charging of batteries. See also: Q&A of the Day – Emergency Lighting.

‘Stay-put’ lighting is a new option within emergency lighting. The latest revisions to the Emergency Lighting Code of Practice (BS2566:1 2016) allows for a situation where building occupants can remain in the building during an electricity mains failure. The webinar will look at the conditions that appertain to this new standard and what scheme designers and building users need to do to ensure that a ‘stay put’ scheme is compliant.